Switching Avid Project from PC to MAC

[Bouke Vahl]

Projects between Mac and windows are compatible, and so is the media.
No problems there.
But, you might want to have the footage transferred to a Mac drive.
(You could use Paragon, but i won’t advise it.)
Make a backup as well!

Next, it’s up to you if you want hardware. If you want cheap, get a used Adrenaline with HD option. But beware that it won’t be supported after the current version of MC.

Bouke

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[Dan Young]

Thanks Bouke for your answer.

Another question if you have the time.

Do I need to buy hardware to play the HD material? Or can I just purchase the latest MC for Mac. Like I said the PC system I am working on runs MC 5.0.3 with Mojo DX hardware. On the MAC spec sheet that Avid posted they say that low-end MACs only offers SDI output and no HD capture.

So I am worried that if I purchase a IMAC or Powerbook (I cant afford a MacPro) it won’t play back the HD media files.

I will transfer all material to WD external hard drive using Macdrive.

Thanks for your time.
Cheers

Daniel

[Dan Young]

Thanks Bouke for your answer.

Another question if you have the time.

Do I need to buy hardware to play the HD material? Or can I just purchase the latest MC for Mac. Like I said the PC system I am working on runs MC 5.0.3 with Mojo DX hardware. On the MAC spec sheet that Avid posted they say that low-end MACs only offers SDI output and no HD capture.

So I am worried that if I purchase a IMAC or Powerbook (I cant afford a MacPro) it won’t play back the HD media files.

I will transfer all material to WD external hard drive using Macdrive.

Thanks for your time.
Cheers

Daniel

[Michael Kammes]

To play the material on your computer, you need the following:

1) fast enough computer to handle the decompression of the footage on playback. Since codecs vary wildly, it’s hard to give you a 100% answer. Avid does have a minimum requirements listing to run the software: https://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=362919&Hilite=apple+macintosh+specifications

A MacBook is not recommended. Avid does not qualify it, and I would be concerned the computer would not be fast enough to play back HD material. Now, “HD material” is vague, it could be HDV or uncompressed HD, and everything in between. I cannot recommend strongly enough going with SOME system qualified by Avid.

Lets say your computer is fast enough, Good. Now you need storage fast enough to keep up with the footage.

For multiple streams (tracks) of video, look into a RAID. Multiple drives = faster speeds and usually, redundancy for a failed drive. Otherwise, a portable external drive that is 7200RPM or better, via Firewire or eSATA (or better) (no usb) should work for light codec editing.

Now that you have minimum storage and a CPU that is qualified, next is playout.

To view HD material on a video monitor, you need 1 of the following:

-Adrenaline (end of life’d): allows capture and playout

-Matrox MXO2 Mini (< $500), allows for playout only, with a Mac can only work with MacPro or MacBookPro, MC v5.x+

– AJA IO Express (about $1000), with a Mac, can only work with MacPro or MacBookPro, MC v5.5+

– Mojo DX: allows capture and playout; with a Mac can only work with MacPro or MacBookPro

– Nitris DX: allows capture and playout, with a Mac, can only work with MacPro

You can hook a DVI or mini displayport out of your machine to a monitor and have Avid play Full Screen. I’ve never trusted this for rock solid sync and color, buts that’s me.

Hope this helps.

~Michael

.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com
.: twitter: @michaelkammes
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[Dan Young]

Thanks so much Michael.

I won’t be working on a macbook, but either a Macbook pro or an Imac, both are listed as compatible in the AVID spec pdf. That is if you buy one of the more powerful ones.

I just have a few more questions if you have the time.

-Do I need to buy the hardware to play it out on an external monitor? If so and I buy the appropriate Macbook Pro can I purchase the

Matrox MXO2 ExpressCard/34 adapter (for use with MacBook Pro)

instead of the

Matrox MXO2 Mini (< $500), allows for playout only, with a Mac can only work with MacPro or MacBookPro, MC v5.x+

-Most of my material has already been captured. But if I were to want to bring in new material can’t I just import it to my Mac desktop, Most HD cameras allow that now, and then convert it to a codec that is Avid compatible. And then just do a simple import

As you can see I am trying to do everything as cheap as possible. I will be able to edit on the Avid I am working on now in June. Just they rented their suites out from April 1st on. And I would like to continue working on the project up until that point.

Thanks so much

Cheers
Daniel

[Michael Kammes]

Dan-

The Matrox MXO2 Mini has 2 versions: one with a PCIe host card (for a tower) or one with the ExpressCard adapater. Both are supported by Avid for playout, provided you are using MC v5+. Not all frame ratres are supported, check the documentation. 5.5 alleviates some of the frame rate issues.

“-Most of my material has already been captured. But if I were to want to bring in new material can’t I just import it to my Mac desktop, Most HD cameras allow that now, and then convert it to a codec that is Avid compatible. And then just do a simple import”

Yes, can do this. My only concern would be editing from footage off of your desktop: never a good idea. A secondary drive would be best. Since you are using the ExpressCard slot for the Matrox Host Card, you can’t use an expansion eSATA card or similar, so you’ll need to use some kind of Firewire800 drive(s).

Good Luck.

~Michael

.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com
.: twitter: @michaelkammes
.: facebook: /mkammes

Hear me pontificate: Speaking Schedule .